Arsenal have apparently told Arsene Wenger that he can remain in charge of the Gunners for two more years if he accepts that he has to relinquish some of his power.

• Wenger doesn’t want a director of football
• Gazidis and Keswick planning for life after Wenger
• Manager told he has to loosen his grip

Rumours regarding the appointment of a director of football at Arsenal have been circulating since April with former player and current director of football at Ajax, Marc Overmars, even being linked at one stage.

However, when probed on the topic recently, Wenger didn’t seem on board with the idea at all, admitting that he prefers to be entirely in control himself.

“No, director of football, I don’t know what it means,” he said ahead of Arsenal’s game against Southampton.

“Is it someone who stands on the road and directs the players left and right? I never understand what it means, director of football.”

He added, “I’m manager of Arsenal and as long as I am manager, I will decide what happens on the technical front. That’s it.”

According to ESPN, Ivan Gazidis and Sir Chips Keswick have ’embarked on a project’, which aims to build the club’s future post-Wenger.

For this project to work, the chief executive and chairman need the manager on board.

Not only do they want to bring in the first director of football the club has ever had, they want to ‘revamp’ Arsenal’s scouting system and create a new department, which isn’t controlled by Wenger.

Ultimately, they appear to have the club’s best interests at heart, or at least want the fans to think that.